1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for providing a water-tight seal at the corners of structures. More specifically, a preferred embodiment provides a device and method for flashing and sealing the corners of recessed window frames and recessed window wall conditions.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the construction of new homes, it is important to provide a water-tight seal at the seams of any openings in exterior walls, specifically windows and doors. A number of different devices and methods of providing such a seal are in current use. All of these methods have at least one major drawback. Some are expensive, some are time consuming, some must be performed just right in order to be effective, some are not durable, and some create sharp edges that cut subsequent layers of building materials.
One specific type of condition that is installed in many homes today is the recessed window. Recessed windows include an outer wall opening that is flush with the exterior of the house, and an inner, recessed framed opening, that lies in a plane behind that of the exterior. Generally, the inner framed opening has a height and width less than that of the outer framed opening. When the window is finally installed, it lies within the inner framed opening.
Recessed windows are particularly difficult to flash and seal adequately, especially at the corners. Rain, especially wind-driven rain, tends to penetrate the corners of these windows rather easily. When this water infiltrates the space behind the flashing, it becomes trapped there and causes rotting and deterioration of the underlying wood, as well as fungus, mold and mildew growth within the wall systems.
The inadequacy of current flashing systems is due to two problems. First, there is no known flashing system that is very reliable, even if installed correctly. Second, most flashing is performed by unskilled low-wage laborers. Most of these workers pay little attention to quality, and instead try to get the job done as quickly as possible. Further, many lack the language skills necessary to understand the detailed instructions that must be given by a supervisor in order to ensure a proper flashing. Because it is not cost effective to have a supervisor inspect every corner of every recessed window, many windows are installed with poor flashing. As a result, many flashing systems that might be effective if installed properly every time do not work well in practice.
Therefore, there is a need for a corner flashing system that is not only effective when correctly installed, but is also nearly impossible to install incorrectly. Further, the system should be well adapted to installation in recessed window frames.